|Cedarberg Kloof, Magaliesberg

Brief summary of venue

Cedarberg Kloof is named after the unusual rock formations in the area that are reminiscent of those found in the Cape Cedarberg/ Rocklands area. The top end of the kloof is relatively flat, with lots of shade and a little stream, making it a great spot for children, while the further downstream one goes the steeper and more dramatic the terrain becomes.

Permit/ permission info

Land owned by the MCSA, so open to MCSA members and guests (1 guest per member) otherwise permits are required.Contact the MCSA Johannesburg Section for permits.- Contact admin@jhb.mcsa.org.za / tel: 061 461 8259 weekdays 3 - 6pm

The walk in from Mountain Sanctuary Park to the MCSA campsite and descent via Grey Gully takes about 15 to 20 minutes. From here you can choose how far you want to walk down the kloof. Walking to where Cedarberg Kloof intersects Lower Tonquani/ Boulder Kloof takes another 30 to 45 minutes of steep and strenuous (but very scenic) walking down river. An alternative to walking down Cedarberg Kloof, especially if you want to climb on the longer cliffs near the bottom of the kloof, is to abseil down Frog Gully - which is opposite the climb Boggle. Note: Frog Gully is very steep and slippery, especially when wet.

Accommodation

The MCSA campsite is at the top end of Cedarberg Kloof above Grey Gully; there are no facilities apart from a cage to store food. Otherwise Mountain Sanctuary Park has camping and chalets, as well as ablution facilities and a small shop.

Availability of water for drinking

There’s water all year in the kloof, which is safe to drink.

Climbing route guide

The MCSA has published a route guide for Boulder Kloof, Cedarberg Kloof and Lower Tonquani, available on the "Routes" option on the home page, or here.

Climbing information

There are over 120 climbs in Cedarberg Kloof, mostly multi-pitch natural lines. The rock is generally good, especially at the lower end of the kloof near the intersection with Lower Tonquani, where routes of close to 100 metres high can be found. Grades vary from 5 to 30 with the bulk of the routes in the 17-20 range. Climbs on the true right tend to be the most sustained.

Child friendly

The upper section near Grey Gully is flat and shady with a stream that children can play in. The walk down Cedarberg Kloof is steep and strenuous so suitable for older children.

Swimming

Yes, lower down the kloof.

Camp fires

No.

Other attractions

Crystal clear pools to swim in lower down the kloof, a wide variety of birds, animals and plants and beautiful scenery to inspire photographers and artists.

Dangers

The general area has had muggings, so be alert.

Contacts

Entry through Calabash: Contact MCSA Jhb Section for permits and paying parking for Calabash : admin@jhb.mcsa.org.za ; Entry through Mountain Sanctuary Park: Their parking and access fees apply, (and you still need permits from the MCSA) . See their website: www.mountain-sanctuary.co.za.

To all Mountain club members in Gauteng - please note that due to some attempted access to our properties during lockdown we would like to reiterate that access is suspended until relevant lockdown regulations deem it legal. Currently, we suspect that this will only be in level 2 or 1 as both inter-provincial travels is required (Magaliesberg is largely in the North-West) and, more critically, hiking and climbing are not considered essential activities.